Chris Wilder was displeased by the ‘lack of respect’ he received from a match following Sheffield United’s defeat to Crystal Palace and expressed his dissatisfaction with the level of officiating throughout the game.
Wilder described Tony Harrington’s performance in their 3-2 defeat at Selhurst Park as ‘ridiculous’ but predictable. He described being advised by a Premier League referee before to the game that every 50/50 decision would go against them.
Wilder said he contacted Harrington after the game to critique his performance, revealing that one of the assistant referees was ‘eating a sandwich’ throughout the talk.
The Sheffield United manager stated that he believed this shown ‘a complete lack of respect’ and stated that he would raise the issue with Howard Webb, the head of the officiating organization PGMOL.
Wilder told BBC Sport after the game on Tuesday evening: ‘It’s just another awful performance by the referee.
‘I was informed by a Premier League referee whom I’ve known for a long time and who is as truthful as the day is long. He warned you to be prepared since any difficult decision would be against you.
‘He stated every 50/50 decision will go against you. We had two appointments in the first half of the game, but they were not booked. They were just coming together.
‘Their boy totally takes out our goalie; we have to change goalkeepers, and the boy is not booked. He claims it was an accident, he clashes, and it makes no difference whether it is or is not an accident. It is a yellow card.
‘We get four yellow cards, and they get one at the end for time wasting. They are taking a long time. Their game management was solid, but they’re taking their time.
‘We spoke with Howard Webb about speeding up the game and ensuring that referees had a handle on it, and he could sense the displeasure of the fans. He could see our guys’ displeasure.
“Every 50-50 or close decision goes against us, and if that’s what we’re going
Wilder concluded by stating, “One of his assistants was eating a sandwich at the time, which I thought was a complete lack of respect.” Hopefully, he liked his meal while speaking with a Premier League manager.
When asked if he will pursue his issues with Webb, Wilder replied, “The same thing happened Saturday [against Brighton in the FA Cup].”
‘Boys going down and deceiving the fans, attempting to fool the referee. Every tough choice is made again. It has occurred far too often for me to remain silent. I’m not dodging anything; I’m going to call it like it is, and that’s how I feel.
It wasn’t an aggressive contest; it was a competitive one. Both teams have respect for each other, and I surely do.
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